My Product Launch Prioritization Framework

In 2021, I served as a mentor at Berlin's Mentoring Club, where I connected with various startup founders, marketers, and product managers weekly over coffee chats. The most common topic was product launch best practices.

Through these chats, I've refined my go-to-market strategy and created the following launch prioritization framework:

P0 LAUNCHES

P0 launches consist of bringing a new product portfolio to market, often in a completely new space. Examples include Uber's launch into the trucking industry Uber’s launch into the trucking industry (Uber Freight) or Instagram’s launch into e-commerce space (IG Shopping).

Since the goal of P0 launches is to disrupt the industry, it is the product marketer's goal to drive brand awareness and acquire new users. Channels that drive acquisition span the full funnel: awareness (e.g., PPC, paid and organic social, PR, industry events/webinars), consideration (e.g., landing page, product demo), and conversion and retention (e.g., sales enablement, newsletters, in-product messaging, FAQs).

P1 LAUNCHES

P1 launches can be either a new product for existing customers or a product that matches competitors' offerings. It is important to tailor the channel marketing strategy to the specific launch type (the framework above provides a general guide).

Examples of P2’s can range from Canva’s new logo maker to TikTok’s revamped in-app video editing tools.

The goal of P1 launches is to increase product adoption and ensure that new users keep coming back. Marketing channels for these types of launches include a landing page, company press release, paid and organic channels, product demo, sales enablement, newsletter, in-app messaging, and FAQs or articles in the support channels.

P2 LAUNCHES

Last but not least, P2 launches are products that drive retention, usually a product update or an adjusted feature to ease the user's end goal. While these products may not be groundbreaking, they help keep the product competitive and users interested.

Examples include Slack’s improved keyboard navigation and HubSpot’s new ability to import sales activity.

To ensure existing customers are aware of the new releases, it is important to inform and educate the sales teams. In addition, channels such as the product newsletter, product support pages (FAQs), and in-app messaging can help existing and new users stay updated on the product.